Pediatrics

With Hurricane Florence setting its sights on the Carolinas, the storm is likely to affect western North Carolina later this week, through the weekend and into the beginning of next week. Since Tuesday, more than 1.5 million people have been ordered to evacuate 300 miles along the mid- to south- Atlantic coasts; evacuees are seeking […]

Holiday weekends are an opportunity to spend time with friends and family, or simply enjoy a day off. Labor Day in particular is a popular weekend holiday to savor the end of summer with friends and family. Whether you’re spending the weekend by the pool, out in nature or in your own backyard, a holiday […]

By Ashley Williams Carver, MD The time has come again for preparing to head back to school. There is a flurry of emotions including stress, nerves, excitement and elation. In order to relieve some of the nervousness and stress that can come with starting a new school year, here are a few simple tips for […]

By Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, MotherToBaby North Carolina Safe and effective pain management requires careful consideration for anyone, but breastfeeding moms have an additional factor to consider: the possible effects of pain medications on their breastfeeding babies. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends avoiding the use of codeine and tramadol while breastfeeding. Codeine and […]

By Cheri Hinshelwood Most parents fall in love long before their baby draws its first breath. Lives are inexplicably intertwined whether they have a lifetime or mere minutes together. “It’s one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve done,” said 36-year veteran nurse Martha Hill, RNC-OB, nursing unit supervisor for the Maternal Fetal Medicine […]

Kelly Hughes’ son Aidan, age 12, has Tourette syndrome, and as a result has experienced tics throughout most of his childhood. Over time, he developed more complex tics, as well as co-occurring conditions like ADHD and OCD. As diagnoses piled up, and doctors continued offering the family new theories and suggestions as to how to […]

By Ashley McClary, MD The Buncombe County Health and Human Services Department recently announced a public health alert regarding whooping cough. There were several cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, from at least four different schools in Buncombe County. When talking to families I find that there is an immediate, gut reaction of fear for […]

Whether it’s trouble holding a spoon or keeping up in school, when our children struggle, so do we as parents. It’s challenging and stressful to see our children miss milestones, get poor grades or experience social shortfalls. “Some kids are fine at school, but when they get in the car or home, they totally melt […]

By Krista Gregg At two years old, my daughter has a toy medical kit that includes a stethoscope, blood pressure band and syringe that she proudly brings to me when I’m sick. She crawls on my bed and says, “Mommy, I’m going to check on you.” As we go through her routine, I am in […]

With children, small changes can indicate big troubles. From sudden fears to aggression, child abuse and neglect change children. “We urge adults to pay close attention to children around them. Unexplained behavioral changes can signal a child or family needs help,” said Cindy Brown, MD, a child abuse pediatrician at Mission Children’s Hospital. Whether it’s […]